Daimler’s Mercedes-AMG performance division and the recently acquired MV Agusta motorcycle maker will collaborate closely in the future, expecially in cross-marketing activities, CEO Dieter Zetsche said.
The marketing tie-up between the two brands will replace a similar partnership Mercedes-AMG had with Ducati, the Italian motorcycle company snatched by VW Group’s Audi division in 2012.
Zetsche believes there’s great potential for cross-marketing with MV Agusta, as the profiles of customers who buy Mercedes-AMG cars and MV Agusta superbikes are very similar. MV Agusta is a legendary name in motorcycle racing with at least 75 world championship rider and constructor titles under its belt.
The executive said Daimler’s acquisition of a 25-percent stake in MV Agusta has the same potential for cross-marketing as the tie-up with Ducati. However, he added that Mercedes-AMG won’t become a motorcycle manufacturer, nor will it influence which engines MV Agusta bikes will use.
According to sources cited by Autonews Europe, MV Agusta motorcycles may soon be sold in selected AMG performance centers. AMG has 260 performance centers around the world.
MV Agusta’s lineup includes three- and four-cylinder motorcycles with engines sizes from 675cc to 1100cc, priced from €7,000 to €18,000 in Italy. The company has 260 employees at its headquarters in Samarate, northwest of Milan.
Daimler has not revealed how much it paid for the 25-percent stake in MV Agusta. The company also has not provided details of projected sales and marketing synergies.
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